Yeoju charcoal chicken restaurant for kids: Seorak Makguksu

While looking for somewhere to eat with my children in Yeoju, I went to Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi Yeoju IC Branch (설악막국수 춘천닭갈비 여주IC점). Unlike the griddle-cooked dakgalbi I usually have, I was curious about soy sauce dakgalbi grilled over charcoal. After trying it, I found the seasoning mild enough to share with my children.

Is it easy to reach from Yeoju IC, and is parking convenient?

The address is 483 Sejong-ro, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It is close to Yeoju IC, so it was convenient to reach by car, and the parking area was fairly spacious. Parking and accessibility matter to me when I am out with my children, and both were convenient on this visit.

It was in a location that worked well with our route during a Yeoju trip. When travelling with children, a place that is easy to reach by car without going far out of the way for a meal is helpful.

What did we order, and how much was it?

That day, we ordered three servings of charcoal-grilled soy sauce dakgalbi and one bowl of jatmul makguksu (buckwheat noodles in pine nut broth). The prices below are those recorded in the original post at the time of my visit.

• Charcoal-grilled soy sauce dakgalbi: ₩16,000 per serving; ₩48,000 for three servings
• Jatmul makguksu: ₩10,000 per bowl
• Total for the two dishes: ₩58,000

The menu also included charcoal-grilled seasoned dakgalbi for ₩16,000 and bibim makguksu for ₩10,000. There were also buckwheat jeonbyeong (filled buckwheat pancakes), buckwheat pheasant dumplings, and buckwheat kimchi dumplings, making it easy to share dakgalbi with makguksu or side dishes.

How was the soy sauce dakgalbi for eating with children?

The main reason I chose the soy sauce dakgalbi was to eat with my children. My children do eat spicy food, but while travelling, I wanted to choose something we could eat comfortably. The soy sauce seasoning was relatively less intense, so it was good for sharing.

Grilling it over charcoal gave the meat a subtle charcoal aroma. We sat together as a family and grilled the dakgalbi until golden, and the children enjoyed the process more than I expected.

The soy sauce seasoning did not feel strong enough to overpower the flavour of the chicken. We turned it as it cooked so it would not burn, then ate it golden brown. The children had it with rice, while the adults had it with wraps or accompaniments, so it worked well as one family meal.

Did the pine nut broth makguksu pair well with the dakgalbi?

The jatmul makguksu had a nuttiness that differed from ordinary mul makguksu (buckwheat noodles in cold broth). Having cool makguksu with the charcoal-grilled dakgalbi felt like it refreshed my palate. Alternating a piece of dakgalbi with a bite of makguksu worked well, so I was glad we ordered them together.

Was there enough space for a family meal?

The interior was relatively spacious and clean, with comfortably spaced tables. We could sit and eat comfortably with the children. The ample parking also made it feel well suited to family visits, and it looked suitable for group meals or gatherings as well.

For my family, the subtle charcoal aroma of the soy sauce dakgalbi paired nicely with the cool, nutty pine nut broth makguksu. It was also fairly convenient to continue travelling after the meal because it is close to Yeoju IC, so it is worth considering when choosing somewhere to eat with children during a Yeoju trip.